HR0251 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0251 LRB097 11450 KXB 53952 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Autism Spectrum Disorder can affect all individuals regardless of racial, ethnic, economic, and social groups; and

WHEREAS, Autism Spectrum Disorder is more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined; and

WHEREAS, It is diagnosed in 1 in 110 individuals in the United States based on the 2007 CDC statistics; and

WHEREAS, The cause of Autism Spectrum Disorder is still unknown but research strongly suggests that it is caused by certain factors that affect brain development; and

WHEREAS, Autism Spectrum Disorder has increased tenfold in the last decade and now occurs in some form in 1 in 90 boys in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Autism, which is four times more common in boys than girls, usually appears during the first three years of life; and

WHEREAS, Early diagnosis, research, training, education, and therapies are vital to reducing the effects of Autism; and

WHEREAS, Current research suspects that there is not a single cause that will ultimately be discovered but rather a cluster of factors which include genetics, pregnancy/birth complications, viral infections, metabolic disorders, congenital anomaly syndrome (birth defects), and environmental toxins; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate April 14, 2011 as Autism Lobby Day in the State of Illinois for the purpose of urging both government and its citizenry to become aware and educated on the subject of Autism Spectrum Disorders.